The Seagram Company's blended rye whisky, Crown Royal, with its purple bag packaging, is one of the most notable success stories in the history of the beverage alcohol industry. Created as a tribute to visiting royalty, it quickly established a new standard of excellence among Canadian whiskies and remains one of Seagram's greatest sales stories.
The tradition of Crown Royal began in 1939 with the first Royal Tour of Canada by reigning British monarchs, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. To mark this historic occasion, Samuel Bronfman, President of the Seagram Company, decided to create a quality whisky to be packaged in a crown-shaped bottle and dressed in a royal purple bag. Like the packaging, the name chosen for the product was intended to reflect the quality of the spirit, a marketing concept that quickly caught the consumer's attention.